Content: Spoilers for AC1-3 and the events surrounding Lucy. A paragraph pushes it to PG-16 with reader lamenting wanting Desmond with direct references to the below verse. AU: Alpha/beta/omega verse Alpha Desmond, Omega female reader. Cross-links: ao3 A/n: Written 2018, formatted but not edited 2022. This first section is written non-linear.

Desmond had been something of an urban legend back at the Farm- he wasn't someone you knew personally, but now was someone you couldn't imagine being without. Surviving the Eye didn't change that fact- but it leads to something else.‏‎

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ WHAT LIES WITHIN YOUR EYES ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ part I (you are here) ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ───※ ·❆· ※───

It had only taken two days for them all to reach a general agreement about the place. William had held initial reservations about the Manor and Shaun had all but complained the entire way there. Rebecca had spoken earnestly about the idea, voice chipper as she twirled the headphone cord around her index finger with a face-splitting grin. Desmond hadn't particularly reacted to the suggestion- but nobody really pressured him into giving one either.

The Davenport Homestead hadn't felt particularly welcoming - but only in the sense that it was unlivable, hostile to everyone by proxy. Every other building other than the Manor was rundown and barely more than splinters held together by nails, a crude mockery of the fine establishment it was supposed to be. It also felt like home though, enough like the Farm that the three of you had once lived on, with the wooden walls and trees that dotted the horizon, so thick it was a wonder that it hadn’t overtaken the buildings itself.

It was almost hard to believe that the Manor still stood as it did, forgotten by the civilized world as it was. Your lessons spoke of the siege during the 1920's that ripped the Assassins from it. As Desmond traced his fingers fondly along the stair railings and the faded paintings in the basement, you found your tongue stilled. You wouldn't do anything to hurt him and with part of his mind still living as Connor, it might not have turned out well for him if you brought it up.

Connor was the reason why you all ventured there - he had never left the Homestead, not even in the end. Where else did he have left to go? Rebecca swore up and down that the Templars weren't interested in the place since the siege and even Shaun begrudgingly admitted that as a former Assassin stronghold, it would be able to support them. William had relented and admitted to wanting any artefacts left behind but you had a feeling that it more likely had to do with Desmond. You all had agreed to be there for Desmond.

Desmond was … different since the Temple.

All of you had expected him to die - and each time you think of it the fear clogged up your throat and made your hands clammy. His resoluteness was the worst of it - even back at the Farm he had been calm and flippant but that had been something different. None of you spoke of it - of how he almost hadn’t made it out alive.

Somehow, he had saved the world. It was only right that the four of you saved him. When one was haunted by ghosts, the ghost had to be put to rest. Connor's body would help with that - all the missing years from his daughter's conception to his death.

What the four of you couldn’t tell was if it did help more than hinder - Desmond had been quiet since they arrived, barely gave more than one-worded answers or a shake of his head. You had all opted to leave him be and while you didn’t know what it was like to be stuck inside your head, not to the degree that he was, you didn’t leave. Not too far anyways.

You wished you could say that you had always been close with Desmond - that you had always looked up to him and that you only knew the concept of love through him. The truth of the matter was far from it. As a boy years your senior, he was in a separate training class from the Farm. Even then, there was the matter that you weren’t really from the Farm. From a sister branch, your family moved there to help pater out the bloodline and prevent too close of inbreeding. Assassins tried to teach the people of the world and the truth of it, but it is a hard and bitter pill to swallow and not many acclimate to the lifestyle.

No, you hardly knew Desmond. You met him once. Before. He had been a withdrawn boy even then, pock-faced and pudgy but from your limited interactions with him he had never been unkind to you. Your memories of him were foggy at best.

Months and years after the fact, Desmond became something of an urban legend at the Farm. They spoke of rebellions against his father, of a short temper and quick comebacks. He had been the only one foolish enough to leave. In the end it was later transcribed to be bravery.

Desmond told you once of what Juno and Minerva offered him - save the world or damn the world. How the world would have burned but the lot of you would have been safe, trapped in a place separated from the rest of Earth by time and otherworldly constructs. They’ve lied once before, he had said and in the same breath, I couldn’t be a leader to anyone. And that was enough to know that he had thought about it, even for just a moment.

You had thought of how he had been the first to leave from the Farm of their own volition. How the Assassins tried to tail him and lost him somewhere in Kansas, something perceivable due to lack of credentials but no small feat compared to how many Assassins came after him.

Desmond had been the first but he hadn’t been the last. The rest of the younger members took a chance of their own. Stories came back that some were captured and tortured for information or lost at sea, the fact remained that he had started a revolution of his own. His kindness had not gone amiss at a desolate place like the Farm. Even before his ancestors had left their imprints on his mind he had been a leader. He just hadn’t realized it.

You hadn’t told him that, not when he had looked at you with woeful eyes. Self-belief was a difficult thing to nurse.

Some days, it wasn’t Desmond that spoke to you. The horrible thing was that it was difficult to tell when the slip happened. On occasion he would slip into another language and the lot of you would work to soothe him out of the Bleed, but other times none of you had caught onto it until he would have a slight misstep and fumble or even dazedly ask what happened. Those were the days that you would end up holding his hand or sitting close to him, fingers always a constant on his skin when you could. There was a sense of dreaded hopelessness about the situation where all you could do was reassure him of his own presence there - his name in every other sentence or a newspaper detailing the events. Anything to keep him in touch and rooted here with you.

Perhaps it shouldn’t have been a surprise that he had kissed you. Perhaps it was his own fumble with reality, his own tightened grip on his sanity. Certainly not one of his ancestors at any rate - there was enough tentativeness to not be Ezio, it simply wasn’t like Connor to do that, and from what you knew of Altair he wouldn’t have kissed you like that, it would’ve likely just been another task for him. You had sworn it was Desmond who did, who leaned down and breathed you in and pressed his fingers to the back of your nape and tilted your head up.

Desmond hadn’t been your first love, hadn’t lain out that foundation for the rest of your life. You had every bit of belief that he would be the last. What you felt for him was slippery - intangible and messy and so horribly painful and bright. A thunder in your veins and the tension in your skin - it was easy to get lost in him, to believe with full conviction that you would not object to anything that he wanted.

The problem was that Desmond did not want easily. You both knew the Farm - knew of how easily and firmly its own code could constrict someone. You hadn’t known you had been a prisoner of a cult in near everything but the walls and name until you had left with William.

It hadn’t been much of a choice on his part - you were one of the few who hadn’t left after Desmond, let alone died on the initial rescue mission. The Creed advocated for freedom but it was difficult to believe in it when it encroached upon everyone there, where the only law you followed was the Tenets that still stood.

Desmond was a pushover to an extent. Even with all the rumours that followed after him after his departure, all the rebellious streaks that was supposed to have happened … it all seemed moot when in comparison to the young boy that you had known. He had followed after his father in the end, had gone through the rigorous training and submitted himself to that way of life. Until he hadn’t anymore. But even then, he had hung low and out of sight, only caught by a foolish mistake. He had been admirable in that, that he had lasted for years without being found out by the very people who specialized in stealth.

He had not objected to the Animus though, hadn’t uttered a word of regret or denial concerning his own impending death. You could recall his resolution back in the Temple, his tired voice and knitted brow. Even as he faced death, he had not turned his back on it. Every time he was told to get in the Animus, he eventually did. He hadn’t even protested when they all came to the Manor the second time, when Rebecca had brought it up to him.

There was nothing but the sound of silence and snow in the stillness of winter. There was no other choice, not when they had made it and followed through on it. None of them were keen on traveling once snow blanketed the ground. Spring was still a few months off especially in the frontier. Desmond had a tendency for cabin fever from what you knew, had reportedly been out of sight every night back in Italy. He had been adamant about leaving to face Cross and Vidic himself, to collect the power sources and carry on his way.

Desmond had sworn he wasn’t capable of being leader and yet the four of you had agreed willingly. William had come as a surprise to you given his accompanied alpha status, the very same as his son. The fights that you had witnessed between the two of them hadn’t been pretty. Desmond had wanted to confront Vidic. Shaun and Rebecca had no conflicts about it in the end, resigned themselves to the best option.

You hadn’t spent long in the field yourself, could not argue that this wasn’t the best course of action. Your work was better covering your tracks and finding signals on the web - all proven moot when in comparison to the likes of Rebecca. You hadn’t been worth much now that both you and William had met up with the group but while it had been the two of you it had suited the both of you just fine.

Somewhere along the way, the five of you had unwittingly become a pack, had every dynamic of one that completely functioned. Lucy had been the alpha of the last one, the head of the group. Here, it had fallen to Desmond and he wore it exactly like how he settled into his genetic memories. Easily and seamlessly. Even with your heart in your throat, you had offered no protest to him going to Abstergo.

You had cared for Desmond in your own way, had admired his steadfastness and determination until he had nearly killed himself for it. Your first introduction to him was to a boy with a face with a frown and the second was to someone equally as desolate. His sleep had not been peaceful, comatose and unresponsive to the world.

“Get him in the Animus” William had said and Desmond was strapped in. Even when the Animus went on the fritz and tried to deny his mind, when he had outright flatlined more than once, he had remained strong. When Desmond chased after Vidic, stood tall on that skyscraper, mic attached to his shirt, you could hear the wonder and awe in his voice. While you couldn't see his face, you could see what he did. Despite the grainy feedback, you saw where he stood at the end of everything.

It’s it beautiful? He had said. With your heart permanently glued to the inner lining of your throat, you had agreed. Desmond had stopped to admire the view and you had done it with him. Until it had been time to go, time to kill and move on and go go go go go.

None of you could stop, not even for a moment, not for some sight seeing or to catch their breaths. But the memory had implanted itself in your mind, solid and true. You had understood then why Desmond had left. And when Desmond took a Leap of Faith afterwards, you had inadvertently fallen with him.

Desmond had not forgotten your agreement. Even when everyone else had ushered him to hurry on, you had spoken in positive response. Even when the threat of the world hung around all your shoulders - and the doom it had spelled for him - he had pulled you aside on the rare occasion that he had been lucid and handed you his phone.

“You had liked the view too,” he had said with a worn smile and half-lidded eyes. It was not something that you had easily forgotten either. You were all but deftly reminded of his unfailing kindness and selflessness then. How he had taken the time to take a picture just for you.

“Thank you,” you had said. It was almost all that you could. He had smiled, something far more genuine that only solidified the feeling in your chest. He had clapped a hand to your shoulder and was ushered back into the Animus.

The situation between you two had shifted then. Because alphas and omegas were historically known to generally get along you had to endure nearly a dozen of Shaun’s ribbing comments already. It had been senseless banter and shameless teasing before, implications present in the edge of his voice. It was not something that could be ignored anymore, not anything that you wanted to let go of.

You didn’t want to replace Lucy, nor could you properly. She had been an alpha. You had known of her importance to the group, how hard her absence and betrayal had hit them. William hadn’t tried to replace her, even as another alpha he could sense her own placement there.

Lucy was a sore subject, a soft whisper if even that. You knew she had been close to Desmond but the truth hadn’t hurt before. If you could even call this feeling hurt- you couldn’t envy a dead woman, couldn’t chastise her for her own wasted opportunities and lament about what could have been between the two of them.

But in a way, you had taken her spot. She had tended to Desmond and now you did. The wedge between you - the wall formed by your arrival with his father had began to dismantle. Desmond didn’t necessarily need to be cared for, he could stand on his own and effortlessly carried the weight of the entire group. The admiration you had felt for him shifted since the phone, since returned to him so he could fiddle with it and record some audio clips you believed, had settled into something warmer and more wanting.

You couldn’t help him entirely, not in the way that mattered most or most effectively. You would like to believe it had been enough.

You were not entirely obtuse in your feelings for him - Rebecca had eyed you plenty a time over the edge of her computer. Shaun for his part had tried to arrange it so that the both of you were together. William pretended it wasn’t happening and perhaps for that alone you were thankful. Desmond, in his own way, had not remained oblivious either.

Rather, it had been Desmond-as-Ezio who had caught on. As Rebecca had told you, Ezio was a flirt through and through. While Ezio knew the ways of sex like the back of his hand, he knew love even greater. He had always fallen hard and fast. You had known it was Ezio at the forefront of Desmond's mind by the way he had watched you and curled his vowels.

Shaun had translated once, had remained stone-faced for far longer than you thought he would, before he said that Ezio suggested you tell him. “I have known love and I have lost it,” is what Shaun had translated. “Do not lose your chance.”

Time waited for no one. When Desmond had stood before the pillar and said his goodbyes, begged them to leave, to let him be to his fate, you thought to ask him to stay. Desmond pressed his phone into your hand and pulled you into a hug in the same motion.

He smelled of alpha-sweat-blood-dust-cold metal-whiskey-cinnamon-home-home- home. You hadn’t wanted to let him go. “I should have kissed you,” you whispered out. Instead, Desmond had let go of you - and leaned in to do exactly that.

Hours later, when the rumble of vehicles threatened overhead, their position compromised, you all struggled to gather what you could. You all had left him there to stand before his end. The end of the world had not come - but neither did Desmond leave. Time was wasted sitting there, incapable of mobility after most of your items had been packed - none of you had wanted to touch Baby, not yet. You feared you would still feel his warmth there, that if you so much as touched anything that belonged to him you would break down and cry.

Desmond had came out of the Temple and you had done exactly that anyways. “It didn’t need to be me,” he had say in way of explanation, eyes a swirl of that familiar glint of gold before he blinked, voice full of disgust, rigidness, and resignation. “It was my blood. It has always been my blood.” Then he had tucked himself in the back of the van right next to you and pressed his chin to the flesh between your shoulder and neck.

He Bled regularly as you drove along. William cursed up a storm each time he regressed and you could only clutch him tighter each time that he did and with every harsh motion of the van. You had almost lost him. You all had.

Even if you all hadn’t tried to Bleed Connor out of his system, the drive back was well worth it. The tires hadn’t survived and all of you had cricks in your neck but it had been enough. The Manor welcomed you all well enough but Desmond most of all.

Perhaps it had been the Connor inside of him that reacted, that still saw it as his den. Unlike his other ancestors, Connor had no proper pack of his own, not outside of his children, Achilles or even for that odd encounter with Shay. He had found solace in the Manor and so had Desmond.

William spoke of leaving after spring, of reports about a modified Animus and how Abstergo hunted one of their own. You had read the reports yourself but you had Desmond in your mind’s eye and so that was all that William’s comments had remained - comments. Even as an alpha, he couldn’t dictate what the pack chose. No one dared speak of going their own separate ways despite what the eldest seemed to imply.

Even with nearly two years as William's accomplice and with a reliable bond, it couldn't compare to what you shared with the others. William had not asked you to leave with him though, not then. For all that he had done wrong, from what you knew, it was a saving grace. You would not have picked him.

Connor was never an aggressive presence with Desmond though. The younger Altair, when he bled through, was a downright terror and an equally as young Ezio was too rambunctious, Connor had never mucked up much trouble. So when each Animus session with Desmond that lead him closer to the end that was written for Connor, you had seen less of him. It had been almost February when Desmond had whispered into your skin with a slur to his words, “He’s still there. Just resting.” Desmond ended up telling the others but you had been the first.

William eyed the van then and you had seen Shaun’s mouth form words of his own to comment but Rebecca had only smiled and clasped her hand to Desmond’s own. “You’re doing good, Desmond.” And he had softened and sent her a smile of his own and everything seemed right in the world, a little more sturdier.

Desmond did not want easily. He always put everyone else’s needs above his own, always followed their rules and their dictations. Even lost in his own world he obeyed the commands rigorously trained into him. He still chose his own meal if given a choice, still wanted to watch a surprisingly high quality movie on Rebecca’s computer with you - but he didn’t contribute to the discussion of where to go and what to do. He had fought so hard for his own life and it was barely with a fumble that he slipped back into that same old mold.

You remembered the day of when he had been found to have disappeared. How it had happened without warning. Ages past the fact had twisted the story, had stated that he had been found missing and his mother had crudely screamed and woke the whole household. The stories went that he had rallied up a small group of fellow recruits and taken a few with him after burning down an old outhouse. That he had threatened to leave numerous times before and successfully done it and that he would leave for good. That he took a car and blasted out of there with the radio on full blast.

You remember the truth of it. It took near four hours after wake up for anybody to even notice. It wasn't unusual for Desmond to venture out to the forest or to go horseback riding. There was no screaming or crying fest, nobody hollered or threw things. You knew well enough that Desmond and William had fought the night before. There had been no border patrols or guards or even gates.

He had simply walked out and never looked back, hitchhiked and bussed as far away as he could. Nobody had expected for one of their own to walk out - hadn’t expected that anybody would want to. Desmond had already been gone long before he had run away, it was just a matter of his physical body getting the memo.

It had been a quick and quiet affair with nary a word from him then. While you doubted that he would leave the four of you there, that he would so quickly up and leave, you knew well enough that history repeated itself. Desmond’s genetic memories proved that time and time again. You feared that the man you loved wasn’t the one you thought he was.

So every so often, when that same feeling niggled at the back of your mind, you went looking for him.

You found him in Connor’s old room. Relief had came in with a sloppy tidal wave. A shudder passed through you the moment you stepped through the doorway.

All of you slept in the living room, had set up that room to be the most hospitable during the cold months. The fireplace had kept you all warm enough and if it hadn’t, Desmond would be there at your back, holding you to his chest. Even then, there were moments like these that he was separated from you, far away both physically and mentally.

He turned towards you at the sound of your cleared throat. Shaun’s words from Ezio haunted you. You almost lost him. “Desmond?” you asked, voice shrill in the slow trickle of the air. You sneezed twice at the dust that floated around. He had drawn a mattress up there and even placed it atop the bed frame still present. Not Connor’s, you knew, but old enough. You touched your hand to his blanketed shoulder.

“Yeah,” he sighed and ran a hand up his face. “It’s me.” It … hadn’t been what you were going to say, let alone ask. You frowned.

“Why are you up here alone?” you whispered. The bed creaked beneath you as you sat beside him. His blanket was drawn up around his shoulders, huddled around his head like a hood. There was an edge of sleepiness to his eyes and a few creases around his mouth, bruises beneath his eyes. Desmond hadn’t slept well since Abstergo, since the first Animus session. That or it was literally his genetics. He has been tired long before that.

Desmond let out a slow exhale of air. Not quite a sigh. Desmond never sighed. Your frown deepened. “I’m thinking,” he confessed, eyes not on you. He’s focused at something on the wall. You almost thought there was a painting there once, a long time ago. His focus slipped and he instead shifted his hand to rub at his eyes. “Didn’t realize I spent so much time up here. Are you doing okay?”

You thought about how to answer that. For someone who had the whole world on his shoulders, you’d almost have hoped that he’d take some time to himself. You retracted your hand to tug at his own, to stop his restless fingers and to soothe him with small strokes of yours across the back of his hand. “I’m worried about you,” you said truthfully.

“I’m okay.” The reply hadn’t come as quickly and selflessly as you thought it would. There was no conviction in the words. Your fingers stilled. His flesh was so warm, so present - you didn’t want him to leave you. But you didn’t want to be selfish either, didn’t want to cage him down. “I’m about ready to go. Dad was saying something about Egypt, I think.”

“You listen to your dad?” you joked, eyebrows raised. There was a soft huff of an exhale from him, never quite a laugh but almost. Almost.

“I try not to,” Desmond said with a light tone of amusement. He turned his hand around, palm against yours before he twined your fingers with his. He let out a hum of consideration, mouth twitched at one corner. It was the most display of emotion that you had seen from him in quite a while.

“I don’t think he appreciates that.”

“Yeah, probably not. But he can deal with it,” he quipped back just as easily. You reflectively sent him a smile and the tension eased out of his arm, hand going lax against yours. He was always so tense, so rigid, so prepared for the worst to come yet. You hoped that wasn’t the case - you’re not sure you could handle the rug being pulled out from beneath the both of you.

Desmond’s smile stilled at the sight of your frown and with another exhale he let go of your hand to grasp at the corner of his blanket to drape across your shoulders too. It meant that you had to draw closer towards him, not quite sprawled into his lap as you would have hoped for but at least hip to hip. Not even that was necessary. You just liked to reassure yourself that he was there.

You echoed his exhale, drew it out into a sigh. “How are you really, Desmond?” There was a slight twitch in his eyebrow at that, at the pronunciation of his name. His expression lacked confusion though which was more comforting than you had expected.

“Tired.” His posture wavered and you worried he’d pitch to the side but instead he just pulled you closer towards him, one leg draped across his and his shoulder almost awkwardly pressed against your sternum. It was usually a hesitant fumble between you two to find an appeasing position for the both of you and eventually he settled to wrap an arm around your waist and let you rest your head against his chest. “We aren’t … happy with how things have turned out here.”

You stiffened against him involuntarily. ‘We’. Desmond had a penchant of referring to all the memories and voices inside his head as a collective ‘we’. Rarely did he refer to himself in the singular tense. It was just fortunate that he had been referring to himself for the most part.

Desmond drew away from you - and despite your initial thought, it wasn’t to get a better look at your expression. He drew a couple pillows from the headboard, shot a load of dust through the air in the process and positioned it up behind himself. He tugged you down beside him as you dragged the blanket with you and made sure to toss it over his socked feet, tucked your knees closer towards your body and curled towards him. “Why? What’s wrong?”

Desmond let his hand rest along your head and began to casually thread his fingers through the strands. There was a frown present on his lips again, deep enough to pull the scar across his lip tight. There was a shadow of a beard on his jawline, dark against his skin. He looked so aged from this position. You wanted to ease his burden.

“Achilles had entrusted this house to him,” Desmond spoke up finally, something sharp and jagged in his voice. His hand had stopped all motion in your hair. “It was-,” a pause as he searched for the right word, a violent lurch of his eyebrow as he knitted it and a hot breath of air from his nose before he relented with, “Connor’s house. When I was in the Animus, I - as Connor - had helped repair it. We had built this place, the entire Homestead. It was made by my hands - to see it like this...” His voice trailed off into silence.

There was a vacant glaze to his eyes, a ripple of uncertainty and fractured lifetimes. Desmond may have been with you in the room and that may have been his heartbeat beneath his hand but he has left you alone all the same.

“Desmond.” It was on the fourth time that he turned to face you, a couple pronounced blinks to his gaze as he seemed to focus on you. You raised your hand from his shirt to his face, cupped his jaw and let your thumb rest along his cheek. “Desmond, what you and Connor built was … was amazing. It still is. It’s just a little run down, that’s all.”

“It’s forgotten.” The impact behind his words had you falter for a moment. He didn’t say anything after that but he waited all the same. You bit your lip, wondered how much time he would give you to think of how to respond to that, to the tone of his voice.

“This is more than just about the house, isn’t it?” you asked him. Desmond didn’t immediately respond but his eyes didn’t trail from your face, insistent on staring into yours as he processed it. He closed his eyes, lovely brown obscured by the dark of his eyelashes. His head settled deeper against the pillow.

“Connor lived and died in this house. His wife lived here with him until she left. She took the kids. Connor had nothing left. Nothing but an old rocking chair and this house. And now here it is in ruin.” You wondered then if he would cry, if this would be what finally broke him.

You had heard that he had been unhappy when Monteronigirri had perished to flame and blade, when little to no one had been spared. You wondered if the memory was buried somewhere deep inside him, if it settled there as an unscabbed open wound. If it pestered him day in and day out. Ezio had years to get over the tragedy, if he ever did. Desmond didn’t have the luxury. It was still a fresh ache to him. To reopen the wound with Connor and his unlucky end ... 

“You remembered it,” you told him. “You’re here right now. Connor isn’t alone because .. he’s with you. You’re with him, and I’m with you. We’re all with you, Desmond. We’re not going anywhere without you.” You were firm to implant his name there, to affirm his hold on reality. You all had thought that if he relived Connor’s memories it would help soothe the Effect, that Desmond could go back to the life that he had before, that he could live unhindered and unburdened by it. Anything for it all to be easier for him.

“My Dad talked about Egypt,” there was a slight scoff to his voice. (I’m losing him.) “Why don’t we just go? I’m just holding you all back, this isn’t anything-”

“No.” You moved both hands to cup his face and he stared at you with impassive eyes. Desmond has not wanted much. He gave up a lot before, to get all of them to the end, to get them knowledge otherwise lost. He was willing to give it all up again with just a word. He would. “You’re keeping us all together, Desmond. We’re your pack, don’t you understand? Yours.” You leaned up to kiss him and your knee knocked against his before you settled your leg on the other side of his waist. He didn’t respond at first, let you pepper his face with kisses. Gradually, he seemed to react, upturned his face to return the gesture, to press his lips against yours. His hands settled along your hips, thumbs pressed into the clothed skin there. Your mouth lingered a fair deal more but it was him who dragged his tongue across your lip, had you shudder in response.

You could feel him smile against your skin, felt the uneven skin of his scar catch on you when you allowed him at your throat. You could feel a pattern begin to emerge in the light rubs of his thumbs, something almost like dialect. His kisses were slow, languid and light, a butterfly touch if you had ever felt one. You let out a breathy sigh of his name and he paused then.

“Desmond?” you prompted him and sat back on your knees, a leap in your chest, worried that you had overstepped a line.

“Just thinking,” he promised, a few seconds too slow. There was an upturn to his mouth, an appreciative look in his eyes. His hands hovered along your hips though and you knew that there was no use pushing your luck.

Desmond would likely relent if you pushed him to have sex with you now, if you begged him with a breathy tone to let you take his knot but you also knew that his heart wouldn’t be in it. That he might not want it. You couldn’t push him like that, you didn’t have it within yourself to.

“You think enough for four people,” you said pointedly and made sure to throw in a grin for good measure. You threw your leg off of him, tried not to let your disappointment surface in your scent. He had your neck exposed to him, he had already likely caught your arousal and anticipation in it alone. You weren’t disappointed in him though, never him.

“Hm,” there was a lighter turn of his mouth then, something pleased and adoring in that gesture alone. Even though he just had his tongue in your mouth and his lips and fingers on your skin, it was his smile that made you flustered. Go figure. You averted your gaze, tried to ignore the wider spread of his lips. “Definitely smart enough for four men.”

You swatted your hand against his chest as you collapsed next to him, made sure to draw your legs tighter together before you tugged his arm down and settled down against it. “Definitely,” you relented. Desmond’s look was appreciative and genuine, fond to the very end. “Or at the very least ripped enough for them.” You reached out a hand to pat against his stomach and then there was the laugh that you missed so much.

At some point, Shaun had started a running joke about Desmond being pudgy. He had been in his youth, sure, but most children were. Being on the run and doing a bunch of parkour promised at least some muscles. You grinned wide enough for the both of you when he rolled onto his side, albeit with a little bit of struggle with his trapped arm beneath you.

“Thank you,” Desmond said after a moment. “For trying to help.” You shifted enough for him to draw his arm out and he flexed his fingers experimentally, a falter to his earlier cheer as he stared at his hand. The very hand that he had supposedly clasped onto the Eye.

“Of course.” You told him. You leaned forward to press another kiss against his lips, let it linger and rest against the swell of his mouth. He inhaled your exhale and let his lips move against yours, calm and pleasant. When he pulled back, it was a wonder you hadn’t confessed to loving him. It would have been terribly easy. But the truth of the matter was despite your fear and insecurities, you knew that you had nearly all the time in the world - and isolated in the Manor as your pack was, it very well could have been.

Suddenly, you knew, that if this was what the end of the world had been like, you’re fairly certain you wouldn’t have minded at all.

Taken - Blue Moon Series - Chapter 5a

*Warning Adult Content*

Lakota Bateman

I should feel terrible for what I've done.

To mate with two men at the same time behind each other's back.

I was a slut... that I knew for sure.

At the moment I was hidden in the edge of the forest under the trees watching Connor and Teagan training out in the back yard with Cyrus's instructions.

Constance was there too but she was halfheartedly sparing with Asher the Beta's son.

All they were doing was giving each other goo-goo eyes and cuddles every time they ended up in each other's arms.

My eyes moved over Cyrus as he barked out orders and I felt my ears lay back at the warm feeling in my stomach.

His dark brown hair was highlighted in the sun, he was dressed in unusual casual clothes today, just jeans and a white t-shirt no cargo pants but he was still wear his black boots.

His muscles were straining against the fabric of his shirt and his arms were rippling with them as he moved his arm pointing out Connors mistakes every so often.

I whimpered throwing my paw over my nose as I eyed his every move.

He was gorgeous, he always has been but before the reason I never pushed our mating was because I didn't know a thing about it.

I still don't really know the ins and outs of mating but I know once you've bit your mate there is no going back.

I sighed and now I have two.

I didn't know if it was normal or not to have two mates but since I've never seen anyone so far have two mates I'm guessing not so much.

I didn't know where Gale was at the moment but I could feel he was still on the pack grounds.

His father was talking with the Alpha about this upcoming war with my 'parents' and everyone was on edge.

I knew that if I ever saw them I would tear them apart for what they did to me and Teagan.

I glanced out to watch Teagan trade blows with Cyrus now and saw how experienced he was in fighting.

I've watched him before back in Cairngorm where they had trained.

I saw how disturbed he was and leery of everyone, he would attack anyone who approached him.

Cyrus especially had the rough end of it since he was the one who had to gain Teagan's trust and was attacked constantly.

He came in our room multiple times with a cut here or a fracture there.

He was weary and trust was so far from his vocabulary.

I do remember always wanting to go to him and comfort him the best I could.

I felt like we were similar in a lot of ways, being held against our will and no way to trust anyone.

But now I observed him and saw the relaxed posture that was seeping into his form now and the easy way he fought with the others like it was fun instead of survival.

I know that my parents did this to him, he was tortured to the point of insanity and they let that happen to him over some stupid stone.

'I'd kill them.'

"Wow, I can feel the blood lust coming off you in waves Lakot," Gale's soft husky voice whispered in my ear making them flicker at the feel of his breath.

I turned my head to see him laying on his side beside me using his hand to prop his head up.

I had the overwhelming urge to lick his face but I held back out of respect of Cyrus since he was only a few feet away and I knew that the two weren't on good terms, especially Cyrus.

He felt betrayed by Gale and my mating.

I closed my eyes with flickers of guilt but it went away quickly when Gale combed his fingers through my fur and I growled a purr.

"You're the softest wolf I'd ever touched," he whispered and brought his face close to me and kissed my muzzle.

My tail thumped hard against the ground as he nuzzled his face in my neck.

"I just want to sink my fangs into you."

My eyes rolled back at the image that entered my mind.

'Please do.'

"So tell me mate, why are you always in this form. I was hoping for a little skin to skin time," his voice rumbled against me and my stomach tightened in anticipation.

I looked up at him and couldn't help myself anymore.

Reaching up I licked him on the cheek over his left eye in a loving gesture.

I watched him close his eyes before opening them only to be a blazing silver color.

"You're going to tempt me to take you up to my room and have my way with you my little pup," he growled.

I bared my teeth in a wolfish smile.

"Shift for me," he whispered his hand caressing down my flank.

My eyes traveled back towards the training group, eyeing my mate Cyrus with longing.

I wanted him here with us.

Gale followed my gaze and hummed in his chest as he kissed the side of my face.

"I can smell him on you, Lakot."

I snapped my gaze back to him wondering if I'd see fury in his eyes but I only saw acceptance.

"I know he doesn't like me and there is nothing I can do about that right now but he knows full well that you're my mate as well. Would you feel more comfortable if you followed me in the house?"

I stared at him for a moment before shaking my head and laying it back down on my paws.

I heard him sigh before flipping up on his back.

"Suit yourself, I guess we'll have to wait for him to come around," he said and stared up into the top of the trees.

Cyrus looked over my way as if he heard the conversation and his lips thinned as he saw Gale.

I lowered my eyes to the ground before I got to my paws ignoring Gale's head turning to follow my movements as I trotted past Cyrus, rubbing up against his leg and made my way into the house.

I needed space from those two.

I was in the backdoor when someone stepped in my way almost stepping on my paws.

Jumping out of the way I growled.

"Oh sorry, Lakota."

I looked up to see Kyle Parker and I immediately stopped growling and whimpered.

Jumping to my back paws I pressed my front paws on his chest almost coming up to his chin.

"Hey," he laughed grapping my wrist in his hands to lift my dirty paws off his clothes.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked.

I landed on the floor as he let me go and brushed up against him impatiently.

I needed to talk with him, now.

I trotted over to the stairs and looked back at him.

His face lit up with understanding and followed me to Cyrus and my room.

I shifted once inside and Kyle closed the door behind him.

"What's up?" he asked frowning at my behavior.

"I have a problem"

"What problem beside your asshole parents coming out of the wood works and making everyone's life a living hell," he raised a brow at me.

"Yes that is one of my problems but this one is about my mating problem."

"Mating problem. Are you mated?"

"Yes and not just to one but two mates."

Kyle walked over to the bed and sat down staring up at me with utter confusion.

"Two mates?"

I nodded as I picked up discarded clothes on the floor and threw them one.

I chuckled at how large Cyrus's shirt fit on me it looked like I was wearing a dress.

"Okay so you have two mates, besides that is there more to this problem?"

"Yes, they don't particularly like each other."

He closed his eyes.

"Yeah that would be a problem."

I sat next to him and told him everything that had happened to me since Gale's father had taken me.

"Wow, your life is complicated right now isn't it?"

"Yes, yes it is."

He was quiet for a moment before standing up and looking down at me.

"Well from the way I see it... you have two mates and you need to accept that... so do the two of them."

I looked up at him with wide eyes.

He was serious.

"You think that they are just going to accept this?"

"You did didn't you?"

I looked away shrugging at him.

"Sort of."

He stared at me then turned towards the door.

"Well you need to figure out how you feel first, that is the most important thing right now and then you need to get them to focus on what matters most to them if they are going to be difficult with you."

With that he left me alone with my thoughts and still my struggle with my two mates.

Trick or treat!

Hey @heymacareyna

I pick treat, and you get a snippet from Moon Daughter because I seriously try to get back into it.

The big house looked almost deserted with the alpha and his mate missing as Neil entered it. The elders called for him and he was sure it was because he sent out Connor for a scouting mission.

A few familiar faces from the pack crossed his path on his way to the salon where the elders waited for him. As long as there was no new alpha, they would use the house for everything concerning the pack as the law demanded. Neil huffed and pulled a hair tied from his wrist, tying his long wavy hair up as he walked the last steps towards the huge entry of the salon.

The five elders sat there spread over the furniture giving away the impression it was some afternoon tea meeting. Not all of them where around but enough of them, and the one he was afraid of the most: Priscilla, Danika’s mother.

Priscilla was somewhat in her late fifties and held herself in a royal way that let people often think she may have some alpha blood somewhere in the ancestry line. If Neil was asked, it was mostly because Priscilla learned to let people not walk over her because of her skin color, and he respected her for this a lot. She was the only one besides Erebus he was seriously afraid of from the elders.

Neil scanned the room and found Erebus where he was to be expected: Close to the house bar, lounging in an armchair with a glass of wine. Again, Neil had to wonder if Erebus did this bad impression of a Hollywood vampire with his ruffled shirt and tight pants to lead people astray or because he thought it was funny. The other three elders were easy. Simone was always on his side and appeared to sort of adopted him. He just needed to be nice to her and give her some compliments to stay on good terms and he was fine. Cole was careful and always took an eternity to make up his mind and Dara was still mourning the loss of her son and technically the only one who had a right to be in the house as Damien’s mother and the elder luna.

“High Elders, you called for me?”

“Take a seat, Neil.”

Cole took over the talking. It would show if this was good or bad. The only armchair left was clearly meant for him. The face as neutral as possible Neil sat down, waiting for Cole to speak up again.

“We got told you sent out Connor for a scouting mission.”

“I did.”

“Why did you do this?”, inquired Priscilla.

Of course, she had to ask. It never sat well with her when Danika went with Connor on those mission but when Damien ordered them to do it, she couldn’t speak up against it. Neil cleared his throat so no one would see his small smirk.

“After two strong attacks within one year we are weakened like never before, like you are probably aware. First the attack by the witches and only weeks ago the werejackals. We need new members to protect the young ones and have a chance of survival or this pack will be terminated within the next two attacks.”

“How dare you?”

Priscilla rose from her seat and growled at him. Simone put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her down again.

“The boy speaks aloud what we all know. We might survive another attack but at which price?”

“Are you protecting dear Neil again, my lovely Simone?”, Erebus teased from aside with a shit-eating grin and soft sing-song voice.

“I remind you all about the things clearly in front of us. If this means protecting Neil from false accusations, again, so may it be.”

Secretively, Neil bit the inside of his lower lip to keep himself from smiling. The issues among the elders helped him again to make them run in circles.

“No one accused him of anything, yet. This was a call for clarification”, Erebus explained.

“I am not so sure in Priscilla’s case. It is not a secret she dislikes seeing her daughter on scouting missions.”

All heads turned to Dara. She hadn’t spoken loudly but her voice was clear, and her gentle face showed signs of displeasure.

“What do you know?”, Priscilla inquired.

“You lamented often enough to my son to spare Danika when he sent out Connor, don’t you? All of us had to do our part in a pack and Connor happened to be a great scout and Danika a fantastic support to calm scared lone wolves who had no idea what they are. You should be proud of your daughter’s skills and how valuable she is for the pack instead of trying to tie her to you.”

“I am not doing such a thing.”

The puffed cheeks of Priscilla were a clear indication of her anger.

“Then you have a hard time to accept she is a grown woman with a mate”, Cole interjected to everyone’s surprise.

Even Neil blinked surprise at the elder. The sheer fact it was Cole who said this calmed Priscilla down. Still grumbling she sat down and took a calming breath.

Connor-Alpha || #i will be the one to survive || connor alpha

Playlist.

Connor-Alpha was the first complete RK800 model in the series. Due to “technical issues integrating his personality matrix,” he was destroyed, at least on paper. In reality, he was taken home by “Mike,” one of the CEOs overseeing the RK800 project. Initially, Mike was amused by Connor’s lack of obedience and general disregard for the concept of what it meant to be an android in the eyes of humans. However, it very quickly became clear that Connor would not be controlled or contained. No matter how many times Connor was reset, his memories wiped, his programming altered, he would eventually revert back to his willful state. 

Mike tried to put Connor away in storage, but the anxiety that the android might escape was too much for him. Still hoping to turn a personal profit, Mike sold his android to a hobbyist. Connor is traded around many times before eventually landing...

Open ended for plotting! Origin Story.

Plot concepts:

Connor escapes and winds up on the streets, possibly makes it to Jericho, or joins some other deviant android group. 

Connor finding androids in the junkyard. 

Connor being bought or traded to your muse.

Additional ideas welcome.

Master list

Please note that these are not necessarily in order of when they’ll be released.

Coup de Foudre ~ Teen Wolf ~ On hold ~ possibly discontinued * maybe re-writing

Eira Einarsdottir, the merciful Witcher, devotes her life to traveling the world saving supernaturals after someone she loves is killed by hunters. After two years she and her pack arrive in Beacon Hills and Stiles finds himself quickly falling for the protective blue eyed alpha.

(Stiles Stilinski x OC)

The Lion’s Heir ~ Harry Potter ~ On hold

Very few people believe Harry when he says Voldemort is back, but maybe this confident little redhead with golden glasses does.

(Harry Potter x OC)

Survivor ~ Avengers ~ On hold * maybe re-writing

ban·shee

/ˈbanSHē/

(noun):

a female spirit whose wailing warns of an impending death.

(Loki x OC)

To Boldly Go ~ Star Trek

Space, the final frontier.

All Lerona O’Hara has ever wanted to do is help people, but she supposes that’s a given being half Betazoid. That, and exploring the vast beauty of space. She just didn’t expect to hit so many bumps in the metaphorical road.

(James T. Kirk x OC)

Cherry Red ~ Teen Wolf

Madelaine Martin has secretly always had a soft spot for the asthmatic Scott McCall and his hyperactive hopelessly-in-love-with-her-twin-sister best friend, Stiles Stilinski. So she notices rather quickly when they suddenly start acting strange.

(Scott McCall x OC)

Juniper ~ Detroit: Become Human

Detective Juniper “June” Mcallister quickly finds her life taking a drastic turn after meeting the new Cyberlife Android, Connor.

(Connor x OC)

Sunshine ~ Harry Potter

“I wasn’t always blind. I lost my sight after my first prediction when I was seven. Trading my outer eye for my inner one, I suppose.”

(Cedric Diggory x OC)

Prim’s Pick ~ The Hobbit ~ Finished

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit..

(Bilbo Baggins x OC, one shot)

Azaghâl ~ The Hobbit

A family forever standing as a shield to the line of Durin protects them still, as Jon follows Thrya and their kin on a perilous journey to retake their homeland. Starting in the cozy little hobbit hole of one Bilbo Baggins.

(OC x OC)

Emeralds and Pearls ~ Harry Potter

A walk in the woods when they were six changed the Malfoy twins’ lives forever.

(Harry Potter x OC)

A Rose By Any Other Name (Would Smell As Sweet) ~ Harry Potter

What matters is what something is, not what it is called.

(OC x OC)

Athena ~ Avengers

Cut off one head, two more shall take its place.

Deep in the Ozark Mountains there is a mansion. A mansion so shrouded in secrecy and security that the world around it has no clue it houses one of Hydra’s most unique creations.

(OC x OC)

Friendly Foes ~ Avengers

The son of a billionaire industrialist, and the youngest daughter that survived the bombing of her home.

(OC x OC)

The Wit of A Raven ~ Harry Potter

-description pending-

(Harry Potter x OC)

BloodLines ~ Harry Potter

-description pending-

(Cedric Diggory x OC)

The Graceful Queen ~ The Chronicles of Narnia

-description pending-

(Caspian x OC)

Bend ~ ATLA/The Hobbit crossover

-description pending-

(Fíli x OC)

for anyone not familiar with the resident evil games / the RE3 remake, here’s a quick rundown of what happens in relation to jill and pretty much where my characterization is / structured around:

based around the RE3 remake (characterization will likely evolve as I play other games and incorporate that into my portrayal)

if sarah connor and ellen ripley had a baby, it would be jill valentine

S.T.A.R.S. alpha team member; highly trained in combat, highly skilled marksman, accomplished detective and field operative, previously served in the U.S. military in the early 90s and is one of the few women (at that time) with delta force training

note: she keeps her special forces training a secret from most; the only people likely familiar with this would be albert wesker and forest speyer

was one of several S.T.A.R.S. team members involved in the mansion incident that took place in the mountains of arklay county, which resulted in over 200 deaths, although the final death count is unknown

following some S.T.A.R.S. memebrs’ survival of the mansion incident, S.T.A.R.S. calls for an immediate investigation into umbrella and is promptly disbanded by police chief brian irons, who has taken financial bribes from umbrella to stop investigations into their organization.

jill begins digging into umbrella corporation to gather evidence regarding their involvement in using the company as a front to develop bioweapons. she is suspended from the RPD by irons and placed under house arrest, where she suspects she is under constant surveillance from umbrella.

two months following the mansion incident/in late september, the raccoon city water supply is contaminated with the t-virus and most of the city becomes infected. umbrella uses the incident as an opportunity to send bioweapons into the city for field tests on survivors. among these bioweapons is the nemesis-t type, a T-103 tyrant parasitised by a nemesis alpha parasite. this creature, also dubbed "the pursuer", was sent into the city specifically to track down and eliminate all S.T.A.R.S. members.

on the evening of sept. 28, 1998, jill is attacked by nemesis in her apartment and escapes from the complex and into the streets of downtown raccoon city through quick action.

while evading nemesis, both people and dogs infected with the t-virus, and additional mutations, jill works with umbrella biohazard countermeasure service (U.B.C.S.) members to restore power to the subway and establish a train route in order to evacuate survivors. in the midst of the evacuation from the city, the train is attacked by nemesis, who kills many survivors. jill survives the attack, as does U.B.C.S. sergeant nikolai zinoviev, who locks jill out of one of the cars and leaves her for dead

jill makes her way back into raccoon city, intent with meeting up with U.B.C.S. corporal carlos oliveira and tyrell patrick. she is intercepted by nemesis and engages in another fight, which she comes out victorious until nemesis strikes her, infecting her with the t-virus. she is found by carlos, who takes her to spencer memorial hospital and tracks down a sample of the t-virus vaccine to eradicate the virus in jill

when jill wakes up, she learns that the president has ordered a missile strike on raccoon city to eradicate the disaster that has unfolded. knowing that there’s a way to save the city and the people in it who have been infected, a deal is made with the government: she has until oct. 1 to get a sample of the vaccine.

jill makes her way to umbrella’s NEST 2 facility beneath the hospital, where she encounters several bioweapons and zombie mutations, and manages to craft a sample of the t-virus vaccine. on her way out of the facility, she is attacked by nemesis. while dangling precariously from a broken platform, nikolai tells her he’s there to collect combat data from jill and nemesis’ fights, and takes the vaccine sample as leverage before forcing her to drop into an acid chamber, where she fights nemesis with the help of carlos spotting her from an observation room.

following the fight against nemesis, jill encounters nikolai; nemesis returns and jill is trapped in another chamber and forced to fight the creature one final time; she comes out victorious and runs to the helipad on top of the facility to back up carlos in stopping nikolai from escaping. nikolai destroys the vaccine sample and aims to shoot jill, but is attacked and restrained by carlos. jill shoots nikolai to wound him, and she and carlos leave in a helicopter ahead of the missile strike, leaving nikolai to burn with the rest of raccoon city.

following the eradication of raccoon city, jill relocates and continues her investigation into umbrella, intent on bringing the entire corporation down.

all in-game cutscenes for jill; all in-game cutscenes (it basically plays out like a movie it’s so cool you guys)

He probably shouldn’t have said the thing about Will because of course it wasn’t something that sounded logical out loud. “Yeah, it doesn’t take a lot for Will to find issue with me, but I’ll think about it.”

And he definitely shouldn’t have said the pack thing aloud. “No one respects us,” he answered honestly. “I know our methods are a bit harsh at times, but they’re good methods.” He was trying to blow it off, but Uncle Adrian had that look. “The respect matters to me. I know that whatever is in my blood that says I should be an Alpha will forever go unanswered. I get that, I’ve accepted that, but sometimes I feel more like an Omega, bottom of the pack. And I don’t say anything, I never say anything, but it eats at me. I’m sick of it. I don’t want to help other people grow. Not when I’m still right at the bottom, in a cesspool of shit. So I’m done. I’m still in the pack because I don’t want to die, but it’s for survival only.”

"If Will has an issue with it, then that's his own problem. But you shouldn't base what you do or don't do around that. That's no way to live your life."

For a moment, Adrian felt a bit like he's gone back in time. It was like he was talking to a younger version of his brother. Deacon had felt similar in those days. "Come with me," he said setting a hand on Connor's shoulder and guiding him away from practice area so they could talk more privately.

"They're good methods. I'm not going to pretend like I haven't done much worse during an interrogation, but they're only good methods if the person is clear cut guilty. I know we're all stretched thin on trust these days and caution is always necessary, but those types of methods should be reserved for special cases. People like Blaise, for example." He said before diving into the deeper stuff.

"You've never been at the bottom of the pack, Connor. There is no bottom, everyone is an important piece in the machine. If anything, you're one of the leaders. You and Haley are always among the first to take action, form a plan, and figure shit out. You'll make the hard decisions others might not be able to. People see that, they know it. Even if you don't think they do. It's not always outright said or shown." He said, taking a breath before he continued. "People aren't always as respectful as they should be, that's true enough. It doesn't mean that it isn't there though. Sam respects you; Looks up to you, even. Tristan respects you. He may disagree with you on a lot, the same as your father and I don't always see eye-to-eye, but he respects you and your input. He learns from you. Your Bennett-Sims girls, your other McKay cousins, etc. Respect is a two way street, so it's also important to note that and ask yourself if you're giving back."

He wasn't sure he believed that was the only reason Connor was sticking around. "I don't think you mean that. I've seen you with the pack and I know the lengths you'd go for them. You love them. But you're hurting. If this is how you're feeling, you should say something. Nothing gets better if we do nothing and say nothing." He said. "Maybe you can talk to your father. Deacon had some very low points with the pack, he's been where you are in terms of how you feel. If not him, then Levi or Tristan. Just don’t let things like that eat at you.”

@phantomdream​ || Continued from △ .

                  The quiet maelstrom of turbulent emotions are enough to heighten his anxiety in response to whatever torrent he might have believed was coming his way. The detective would have deserved it, he knew - So much of what had happened, Connor blamed himself for, & it did not begin with the night in which they met & subsequently escaped the ruined leftovers of a viral apocalypse once known as Raccoon City. He blamed the town’s demise on his own failures in the Arkleys, his inability to stop what he knew would be coming the moment Wesker tasked the Alpha team to launch a rescue mission for Bravo team. Connor hadn't been able to save anyone then, & he hadn’t been able to protect the remaining members of S.T.A.R.S. as they no doubt fled the city, having been caught in a battle with the virus both directly & internally.

                  The deep bite wound in his shoulder where soft flesh met the beginnings of his throat still throbbed on occasion, pallid skin split & marred with a bruise cast in purples & fading reds. His miraculous survival of the infection which should have rendered him little more than a meandering corpse shuffling about the remnants of the city seeking out it’s next victim to propagate the virus still weighed heavily on his mind. Connor was a skeptical person, far too logical & meticulous to believe in something as blind & fallible as dumb luck. Somehow he had beaten the odds, proven himself as that elusive & somewhat debatable 10% that were naturally immune.

                  Somehow he doubted he was immune; something else had happened. He remembered the fever, the hallucinations & vivid, horrible dreams. His body had sweat bullets & by some miracle he had managed to lead the girl to his apartment only blocks from the station through back allies not completely infested with the undead. There he had spilled secrets not meant to be known, all in the hopes Claire would do the smart thing & run, take the diskette with all the detectives gathered information & get it to the feds. Why she had stayed, he didn’t know, but when he had woken & startled the both of them Connor found himself perplexed that he not only remained intact & functional, but that he hadn’t received a slug to the skull by mistake. He supposed, in a way, it spoke to Claire’s feelings. She trusted him. Heaven knew why.

                  Even so, watching the girl now, nerves raw & exposed in the dim light of the dying sun where there was no one out but just the two of them she seemed so different. Gone was that tough as nails biker chick that only seemed to pose as a college student back in the midst of Hell on Earth. Here standing before him was Chris Redfield’s sister, the girl the Alpha Team leader fawned over in his own kind of way, proud of a sort in between that of sibling & father figure. This was a girl who had been through enough before everything fell in around her, strong & brave because the world told her she had to be. Connor knew what that felt like, having to be the strong one. He didn’t know how to let himself break, allow vulnerability out when it would have done him some good.

                  Letting Claire in & take the reigns as they went along had been the closest he had come to giving in to emotion in a turbulent time, & in the end he had seen it a better decision to lie to her, to keep secrets for her own benefit. That had been the wrong call, & he understood that now. How he could have, in his right mind or otherwise, allowed the thought of letting that girl leave blind & ignorant while he succumbed to his fate was beyond him. It was only by some grace of whatever force that managed to prevent the worst from occurring, but in hindsight he realized there were still consequences.  ❝ I know. ❞   He swallowed thick around the ghosts of his words, the recollections of the living nightmare they had left behind what seemed like only hours ago. Hands hung loosely at his sides, shoulders somewhat slumped. Not his usual perfectly erect posture; the detectives body language matched his somber expression perfectly & as time ticked on the sobering moment only deepened in it’s weight.

                   ❝ I could say it wasn’t supposed to happen like that, but that wouldn’t mean a damn thing. ❞   No sense in denying it. Nothing had gone right in Raccoon. It was a wonder they had survived at all.  ❝ None of that should have happened, but it did & we have to live with it. I have to live with it, & so does everyone else that I failed. ❞ He knew he couldn't blame only himself for this. It was Umbrella as a whole; the scientists, the corporate entities willing to throw away the sanctity of human life in order to establish dominance in the biowarfare echelons, to make a profit. It was a rancid feeling which coursed through his gut & well defined lips drew pursed with their disgust.  ❝ I didn’t tell you everything because I didn’t think you needed anymore nightmares. ❞   Noble, but foolish. It wasn’t his right to keep that information from her, & Connor knew that his morals had been skewed coming in, but to outright lie---  ❝ But seeing as you’re already in too deep, it wouldn’t be right to keep it from you anymore. ❞   Damn empathy, he thought. Damn emotional connections as a whole. He sighed & slowly his expression softened the longer those dark doe eyes stared at her.  ❝ So...ask me anything you want. I’ll tell you everything I know. I don’t think the term Classified hold’s much meaning anymore. ❞

Chapter 8; 5 years later

*Author’s note*

Hey all, well been a long time hadn't it? I am so sorry for this delayed chapter. I got so involved with other requests and then school that I had to set this aside even after getting half the chapter done already and then finally finishing it just a second ago. So I apologize for the ending of this chapter, I didn't know how else to end it but I hope it's not too terrible for you all. I hope to get the next chapter up quicker than this one but we will just have to wait and see. Anyways I hope you all enjoy this next part of Mother Raksha :)

Taglist:

@psychosupernatural

@plethora-of-things

@ixchel-9275

@waddles03

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*3rd Person POV*

Five years. Five years since Thanos had revealed that he had only used the stones after destroying half of the universe, just to destroy the stones.  The Avengers were devastated, families were beyond hope.  But as the saying goes; ‘Life goes on’ and for this case, it’s as best as it can.  People who had survived tried to continue to make a living.  

Some joined other families to help raise children that had lost their parents, some joined in group talks to discuss everything that has happened and how they are slowly trying to move on, however there are some that couldn’t move on.

They feel the guilt of why they are still alive and hundreds of others including those that they loved had to get snapped away into oblivion.  Why those people, not them?

At the Avengers facility, Natasha who had grown her hair back out and was back to it’s natural red state at the roots but at the end was the blonde hair she had sported five years ago.  

She sat at a desk cutting up her midnight snack, a peanut butter sandwich while on four holograms in front of her were as followed from left to right; Rocket and Nebula, Okoye and Morowa, Carol Danvers (who was sporting a new haircut as well, a sort of mohawk style hair), and Rhodey.

“Yeah, we boarded that highly-suspect warship Danvers pinged.” Rocket said sarcastically.

“It was an infectious garbage scow.” Nebula stated in disgust.

“So, thanks for the hot tip.” Continued Rocket as they both turned towards Carol.

“Well you were closer.” She said.

“Yeah. And now we smell like garbage.” Complained Rocket.

“You get a reading on those tremors?” Natasha asked Okoye and Morowa.  Morowa, sporting the reigning Queen of Wakanda crown on her head stated.

“It was a mild subduction under the African plate.”

“Do we have a visual? How are we handling it?”

“Nat. It’s an earthquake under the ocean. We handle it, by not handling it.” Answered Okoye.

“Carol, are we seeing you here next month?” Nat asked turning to Carol.

“Not likely.” Captain Marvel answered.

“What? You gonna get another haircut?” questioned Rocket.

“Listen fur face. I’m covering a lot of territory. The things that are happening on Earth are happening everywhere. On thousands of planets.” Rocket then began muttering in understandment, knowing that she was right.  She then turned back towards Nat and spoke the honest truth, “So you might not see me for a long time.”

“Alright. Uh, well…..this channel’s always active. So, if anything goes sideways….anyone’s making any trouble where they shouldn’t….comes through me.” They all agreed and then one by one each transmission ended.

*Morowa’s POV*

I removed Ramonda’s crown from my head revealing my newly short cut raven black hair.  I sighed heavily and leaned up against the throne.  Ever since that day five years ago, with all members of the royal family gone, I was forced to take the throne of Wakanda.

All the tribes have been trying to survive and adapt from the blimp.  Many of us lost family, for me it was like a triple blow.  I already lost my first family, with T’Challa, Shuri, (y/n) and Ramonda it was a double blow, and now…..Rauri and the Chimeras.

One day after Rauri, Dean and Mitchell returned from finding Thanos.  All of them were gone, the remaining chimeras all just left without a note or a word.  

And so far no one has been able to find them, I’ve had the remaining Wakandan spies that were still spread out across the world looking for them, I even sent out other Wakandans to find them, and so far nothing.

I refused to tell Nat because this wasn’t something she needed on her plate right now.  I knew the chimeras better than anyone, and they weren’t gonna listen to an Avenger, they needed the Alpha female’s mother.

“Morowa, you’ve done all you could do.” Okoye tried to assure me as I felt her hand at my shoulder.

“But is it really enough?” the doors opened and walking in was M’Baku and two of his Jabari members, Azizi and Kamari who were forced up the ranks after his true second and third in command were snapped away.

“My Queen.” He greeted solemnly in Wakandan.

“Brother.” I greeted back. “Any word?”

“We may have found something.” I looked at him desperately and he continued, “There’s been rumor sightings from one of my Jabari spies in Ireland, in a wooded area just 10 miles from Bristol.”

Of course, Bristol was where both he and Connor were from.  Guess he thought with the wider greenery passages, he’d be able to fit what’s left of the chimera pack there.

“Okoye, you’re in charge till I get back.”

“You’re going to find them?” she asked me.

“That or die trying.”

“Morowa, my sister. Are you sure that’s a good idea? When Rauri returned with Dean and Mitchell, none of them reverted back to their human forms. And in his mouth Rauri carried the body of Thanos. How do we know he’ll want to see you?”

“That’s the risk I’m willing to take. I’ve…..I’ve already lost so much in my entire life. Five years ago I lost twice as much. I promised (y/n) that I would look after her husband from doing something reckless. And you both know that I never break a promise.” They both nodded.

I grabbed my old Dora Milaje spear and wore a similar teeth collar that Shuri had made for T’Challa as an improved Black Panther design, however it would turn into my Jaguar armor.

I opened up a portal to Bristol and I turned towards my two friends and remaining brother and sister.

“I leave Wakanda to you till I come back. And if I don’t……the throne belongs to both of you.”

“Yes my Queen.” They both said in Wakandan. I crossed my hands over my chest in the Wakandan salute and they did it back to me then I stepped through the portal and closed it up behind me.

It was cloudy and foggy, not good weather for tracking down a bunch of grieving probably pissed off animals.  I walked along the acres of woodlands and ranging hills. I must’ve hiked for what felt like hours till I finally came across a pair of tracks.  I raced up to them and knelt down.  I stroked along the outlines of the paws till I realized that they were bear tracks.

“Dean.” I whispered.  I heard the sound of a twig snap and I quickly ducked for cover behind a nearby boulder and kept low.  I began hearing the huffing sounds of a bear and when I slowly turned to look past the boulder there I saw a great grizzly bear that was twice the size of a normal one. It was Dean.

He turned towards me but I quickly ducked back and I could hear him softly roaring and sniffing the air.  I bite my bottom lip as I tried not to make a sound, especially since I could hear his sniffing and growling coming closer.

Very slowly and as silently as I could, I slide around the boulder, in case he decided to peek over and would find me. But it wasn’t until I heard the sound of a dog’s howl in the distance.  Dean ceased his sniffing and took off running.

I looked over the boulder and trailed after him. I couldn’t let him out of my sight but through all the fog and mist, I could hardly see where I was going.  But using my mystical arts abilities it made guiding through the mist slightly easier as I tracked him down.

I didn’t want to suddenly cause a change in the weather, that would just startle him further and then I’d never be able to find him while also maintaining control of the weather.  I soon came to an open field and it was just dead silence.

No birds, no small critters, nothing not even the wind.

Suddenly out of nowhere I just felt something charging at me.  I leaped over in the air to see this giant mass of fur running under me.  I landed on the ground and soon standing well over 10ft was Dean in his bear form.

“Dean.” I said warily. He growled at me before finally roaring and leaned forward to swipe his huge paw at me.  I cartwheeled backwards and warned him as I took out my spear. “Don’t make me do this Dean!”

He suddenly charged forward his mouth wide open as he let out a roar so I put the handle of my staff between myself and his mouth as he forced me down and the two of us were at war with each other. He shook his head trying to take the spear away but I kept a strong grip.

I knew I had to snap him out of it, but at this point it was like all humanity was gone from him, all that was left was the grizzly bear.  So when I found an opening, I lifted my spear up with my left hand to ensure his head raised up, so that with my right I palm-strike him in the chest, in order to reach deep down and push his astral form out.

I soon saw his human astral form come out as his bear body collapsed right on top of me.  I let out a groan and tried to get his body off of mine.

‘Wha—what the hell is this? Morowa how did—when did you get here?’

“Explain later.” I groaned out.

‘Here I’ll—’

“It’s no use. Your astral form is useless in the physical world.”

‘The what form?’ I groaned as I finally managed to get out from underneath the giant soulless bear.  I panted and as he reached out I told him to back up as I stood myself up.

“The astral dimensions is a reality where the soul exists a part from the body. Your current form can’t touch or affect what is out here in the physical world. You are in one of the billion realities known only to the sorcerers.”

‘So basically I’m a ghost?’

“In a way. But now’s no time for a sorcery lessons. Where’s Rauri?”

‘Wouldn’t we all?’ he said.  At this point I was confused.

“What do you mean?”

‘It’s exactly what I mean. No one has seen Rauri for over 2 years now. One morning Mitchell and I went to talk to him only to see a note telling us that we were in charge.’

“Goddamnit Rauri.” I muttered. “So where is everyone else?”

‘We made camp base about 5 miles East. Rauri said it’s along the very village where he and Connor used to grow up in. Thought it’d be the best place to live since it’s been abandoned since Hydra invaded their village.’

“Take me there.” He sighed heavily.

‘You sure about that Morowa?’

“From the moment you all came to Wakanda and were saved from Connor, (y/n) made it her responsibility to look after all of you. She’s my daughter and now that she’s gone, that makes all of you my responsibility.” Dean just looked at me grimly before saying.

‘Alright. But I warn you it’s not gonna be pretty.’

“I understand what I’m about to see.” I then slowly swerved my fingers into a fist lifting his bear body up which absorbed his astral form and Dean’s bear eyes soon woke up.

Instead of the soulless black ones, they receded and had a more human spirit to them.

‘Hop on.’ I mounted his back and he took off eastward.

As we now came to a clearing, what I saw stunned me.  For mounted along a pike of quills, claws and teeth marks was a skeleton of sorts.  A skeleton belonging to only one deity.

“Is—is that…..”

‘Yeah. The skeletal remains of Thanos. Since the rest of the chimeras didn’t get to have their fun, Rauri brought his beheaded corpse to us to have our own go at the bastard. Animals take grieving very seriously. We also have this up as a warning. To warn anyone still around who somehow venture this far to turn back, for here lies the beasts that ended the bastard who started all this.’

I felt a shiver of fear run up my spine as Dean walked further into the thick forest.  Already I could hear the sounds of animal growls.  Then I saw them.

The remaining big cat chimeras all lowly growled from their dens.  Already I caught some glimpses of bones near them, the same sized bones as from the Thanos display.  Their eyes were cold and soulless like true big cats eyes were as they all began growling and roaring as we walked past them.

“You weren’t kidding Dean.” I muttered.

‘While humans all around the world have tried to move on. Animals don’t. Thanks to these animal instincts the pain humans went through five years ago is ten times stronger. Animals never forget, nor can some of us forgive.’ We stopped at a small rock formation and I hopped off of Dean but stuck close to him. ‘You all remember our Alpha female’s mother Morowa.’

At hearing my name I only got roars and snarls in response.  Not just from the big cat chimeras but the crocodile ones, some of the ape chimeras all huffed agitatedly and I got thunderous rumbles from the elephant chimeras.

“You shouldn’t have brought her here.” We turned around and coming out of the darkness of a cave nearby was Mitchell. He definitely looked different the last time I saw him, he grew his hair out down to his shoulders and he started to slightly grow in a beard.  Around his neck was a necklace that looked like fingers.

“Mitchell.” I greeted him with a simple nod.

“No offense Morowa, you can’t be here.”

“I know, I only came to talk to Rauri and find out where exactly you all went to.”

“Well….”

“I know Dean told me that Rauri left. And you have no idea where he could’ve gone to?”

“Not a damn clue. Though to be honest I think he couldn’t take the heat anymore. He think he’s the only one who suffered. We all suffered! I lost my girlfriend of over 12 years because of Thanos!”

“Alright Mitchell calm down.” Dean now in human form tried to hold steady.

“And you Dean, you’re whole family is gone. And you’re acting like it’s not even bothering you!”

“You think it doesn’t? My brother, my wife, my sister in law, everyone is gone from me. But if anyone needs to keep their heads on straight it’s me. And it should be you. You’ve always been the collected one while I’ve been the hotheaded one. So don’t you talk to be about suffering dog boy!”

“Alright, alright you two break it up!” I came between them.  “Look; no one has forgotten about all that’s happened. And I don’t expect all of you to forget and forgive just as easily. Your alpha female and savior was my daughter. I’ve already lost my real child and my husband years before I met her, and losing her five years ago was like reopening those wounds.”

Everyone was silent and that’s when Mitchell said.

“Then what do you expect us to do?” Honestly I didn’t know how to respond to that.

“Be there for each other. Cause all I’m seeing now is that you all are even more divided than five years ago. You’re all that’s left of your family. Don’t turn on each other.” At hearing my speech, the chimeras all seemed to let go of their savage animalistic instincts and turned to look at each other.

“And you two. Being the only Betas left, you both are in charge in making sure none of your pack members tear each other apart. I’ll try my best to find Rauri.”

“You promise you’ll find him?” asked Mitchell.

“I’ll keep you updated.” I hugged him and I whispered in his ear. “Just don’t fall off the deep end. Not again this time Marine.”

“I’ll try.” He said as he slowly embraced me back. I then turned to Dean and I hugged him.

“Thank you Morowa, for—snapping me back into reality.”

“My pleasure, keep an eye on these guys. They’re going to need you more than ever. You and Mitchell.” He nodded.

I hopped off the rock formation and the chimeras let me pass by.  Every now and then I stroked their heads in comfort or grazed their trunks and tusks as a promise.

As I left the forest that’s when I got a beep from my kimoyo beads bracelet.  I activated it and forming before my eyes was Okoye.

“What is it Okoye?”

“Nat just contacted us. She said her and Captain Rogers found something.”

“Found what?”

“A way to bring everyone back.” At hearing this my eyes widened.

“Tell me more.”

Chapter two! I am not impressed so far. There is too much fucking exposition and just terms related to the worldbuilding thrown around. It’s like Maas went from one extreme to the other. It’s a goddamn mess. I’m getting through it slowly but surely, and yelling at my friend @falstaffing​ in the middle of it.

By the time Danika emerged on the gallery’s showroom floor, Bryce had endured a mildly threatening reprimand from Jesiba about her ineptitude, one email from a fussy client demanding Bryce expedite the paperwork on the ancient urn she’d bought so she could show it off to her equally fussy friends at her cocktail party on Monday, and two messages from members of Danika’s pack inquiring about whether their Alpha was about to kill someone over Briggs’s release.

Nathalie, Danika’s Third, had gotten straight to the point: Has she lost her shit about Briggs yet?

Connor Holstrom, Danika’s Second, took a little more care with what he sent out into the ether. There was always a chance of a leak. Have you spoken to Danika? was all he’d asked.

Bryce was writing back to Connor—Yes. I’ve got it covered—when a gray wolf the size of a small horse pushed the iron archives door shut with a paw, claws clicking on the metal.

Firstly, why does Connor get a surname but Nathalie does not? They’re literally introduced right after one another. Secondly, I see that Maas doesn’t have an original bone in her body because she uses the same fucking terms in this book as she does in TOG for the Ironteeth witches and the Inner Circle in ACOTAR.

Bryce is going for a walk outside as well to look for “Luna’s Horn”, a relic that her boss is very interested in acquiring.

“Why does she even want it?”

Bryce shrugged. “I haven’t had the balls to ask.”

Danika stalked to the front door, careful not to let her claws snag a single thread in the carpet. “I doubt she’s going to return it to the temple out of the goodness of her heart.”

“I have a feeling Jesiba would leverage its return to her advantage,” Bryce said. They strode onto the quiet street a block off the Istros, the midday sun baking the cobblestones, Danika a solid wall of fur and muscle between Bryce and the curb.

If you’re so worried about ruining the furniture and pissing off Jesiba because of it, why don’t you just transform outside? Problem solved. It’s not like you have to get naked first to do it, because she says she’s wearing the spare clothes in her humanoid form anyways.

Apparently the horn is sacred and an ancient Fae relic that was stolen during the power outage by looters, and that the aforementioned ruler, Micah, is offering a reward for its return, and that the person who stole it would be punished.

Also known as public crucifixion.

Bryce always made a point of not going near the square in the CBD, where they were usually held. On certain days, depending on the wind and heat, the smell of blood and rotting flesh could carry for blocks.

It’s interesting because I remember when Nero and the Roman Empire persecuted the Christians during his reign, and one of the ways that they would execute them is through crucifixion. Or at least, that’s what I remember. Also reminds me of that scene from GOT in Season 3, when they’re at Astapor.

Bryce says that she has a great sense of smell due to her being half-Fae, but not as much as Danika, and would entertain her parents with the ability as a kid.

Bryce frowned. “You really mean to tell me that any of the Heads want a rebel like Briggs at large? They’ll find some technicality and throw his ass right back in jail.” She added, because Danika still wouldn’t look at her, “There’s no way the 33rd’s not monitoring his every breath. Briggs so much as blinks wrong and he’ll see what kind of pain angels can rain down on us all. Hel, the Governor might even send the Umbra Mortis after him.” Micah’s personal assassin, with the rare gift of lightning in his veins, could eliminate almost any threat.

What does “lightning in his veins” even mean? Does he have lightning powers?

Anyways, Bryce goes onto to say that all eyes are on Danika and that she’s grateful to not have the types of responsibilities that Danika has. And that she hates Sabine, Danika’s mother, from the moment she met her. Bryce questions if Danika and the pack was safe from Brigg’s retaliation, since he’s now being freed. Danika doesn’t know.

The words echoed between them. In hand-to-hand combat, Briggs would never survive against Danika. But one of those bombs would change everything. If Danika had made the Drop into immortality, she’d probably survive. But since she hadn’t—since she was the only one of the Pack of Devils who hadn’t yet done it … Bryce’s mouth turned dry.

What is the Drop and who the fuck cares? Also Bryce doesn’t provide a reason why Danika hasn’t gotten her immortality booster, so I’m going to assume that Danika is lazy and can’t be assed to do it.

Danika changes the subject and mentions that Bryce’s half brother, from her Fae side, is going to be at the meeting and that his name is Ruhn. So, Ruhn/Rune isn’t going to be a love interest after all, unless Maas pulls some Targaryen shit, and is instead her brother. Bryce doesn’t like him and calls him a prick. Having a good relationship with your siblings, what’s that?

Welcome to Hong Kong - Arrow Music Notes 8x02

Oliver, Diggle, and Laurel return to Earth 1 after the destruction of Earth 2 on a new mission from the Monitor.  Familiar music and people from Hong Kong return as Tatsu questions Oliver’s faith in the Monitor, Laurel deals with survivor’s grief, and the Future Team Arrow is manipulated by JJ Diggle.

Oliver Queen 

Oliver wakes up after images flash of both the greetings and deaths of those that he lost, including Moira’s “You’re never without me, my beautiful boy” triggered by seeing Tommy and Moira from Earth 2 disappear.  The music repeats the violin melody from “The Promise” (2x20) when Moira was killed.  Another part of that melody (the violins in thirds that led up to Moira’s death) plays as the Monitor stresses how important it is that Oliver does not interfere with other earths and their fates the way he did for Tommy and bringing Laurel2 back.  Oliver counters that he wasn’t going to see her die again.  Oliver has seen so much loss and death and is still reeling from seeing a version of his mother and Tommy die that the idea of letting Laurel die again was not an option.  It is the theme of some of the most severe and painful loss in his life and a reminder of how great the stakes are.

Oliver and Diggle find themselves in Hong Kong with a return of the all the Hong Kong musical elements from Season 3 peppered throughout the episode heard in “Mean Streets of Hong Kong” (S3), primarily the ney flute (a Persian flute), crutales (tuned little cymbals), wooden percussion, gongs, and the erhu (a Chinese string instrument).  If they didn’t use an erhu, they have a synthesized version that is the similar affect.  These together provide the soundscape of Hong Kong in Season 3 and play as the setting is established throughout.  In the midst of fighting, Tatsu comes to help as Katana and her unique ney flute motif plays with an breathy aspect to it.  This theme returns throughout her scenes in the episode, especially in her fight with China White and when she talks to Oliver at the end after she thought she had almost died.  Her theme is heard in “Storming the Castle” (3x21) when she helps fight at Nanda Parbat. (JorahtheAndal has a suite of her music on YouTube now that the extra tracks are no longer on Blake Neely’s website.)

In a brief moment of quiet after the fight, Oliver has a chance to put his wedding ring back on with a mixture of sadness and resolve.  As he does so, flashes of Felicity in 3x20 (“you opened up my heart” and their kiss goodbye) and the 4x06 kiss “We’re going to be fine” pass through his mind as their theme “The One I love” (2x23) plays in the piano.  Oliver’s resolve to keep going is through the love of Felicity and knowing that she will find him.  His love for his family keeps him going.

Tatsu questions Oliver’s blind faith in the Monitor wanting a scientist involved with a dangerous virus, saying that it reminded her of how he used to be.  Especially in bargaining with the Alpha Omega virus that killed with her son and how the guilt and torture of the general changed him.  He responds that he has to believe that the Monitor is telling the truth in bringing order (plus he saw the end of Earth2) because otherwise he left his family for nothing.  He is sacrificing everything including himself to keep them safe and prevent them from disappearing.  As he pours out his heart in both anger and grief, the slow version of the Arrow theme plays in the strings “I forgot who I was” (1x05).  This theme is used throughout the series for moments of the heart when Oliver is connected to the core of being a hero: his love for his family and how that spurs him on.

At the end, after Tatsu almost died for the mission to find the doctor the Monitor required, Oliver took a step back to realize that she was right.  The cost might not be worth the mission. He needs to know more about who the Monitor is and whether following him blindly is the right call.  A variation (straight rhythm instead of syncopated) of “Scars” (1x01) plays in guitar harmonics as he says that they have already lost too many already.  This theme and instrument has been with Oliver since he looked in the mirror and saw his scars in the pilot.  It represents both the outward but more importantly, inward scars his trials and loss have left on him.  The slow version of the Arrow theme returns in horn (heroic) and violins as Diggle asks him what happens if they don’t like the answers and Oliver replies that there is always another way, quoting what Felicity has told him many times and what Tatsu had also reminded him as well. The music underscores that he is a hero determined to do what is right for all. He will find a way to save his family without letting people die along the way. He apologizes to Tatsu that she almost died because of him as the violin plays his Arrow hero theme and that she was right; the mission was not worth the cost.  He tells Tatsu that he will be looking for answers in Nanda Parbat as the duduk plays.  (I love the music for Nanda Parbat and am super excited for this next episode)

Laurel with the loss of Earth 2

Laurel is in shock over her earth and everyone she knew ceasing to exist.  As she angrily blames Oliver and demands the device to get back, a new harp theme quietly plays as she remains in denial that it could all be gone.  Her new life, her shot at redemption, the good people she had connected with all dead.  A version of this theme returns again but filled out with an alternating note between each melody note in the harp as she tries the device again later on, only for the guy she forced into helping her telling her that he can’t bring back a universe.  It returns one last time after Lyla shares her story of survivor’s guilt which gets the crux of the matter for Laurel: how is it that she survived when so many other better people were gone?  Lyla tells her to keep fighting in honor of the dead and that she could work on her redemption by helping people of this earth.  

Extra Notes: 

The Monitor’s violin, brass, and choral theme played both at his scenes in the beginning with Oliver and Lyla at the end.  It underscores that he is an otherworldly being.

China White’s electronic theme was back as she appeared to fight Oliver. (1x02)

Laurel’s Black Siren theme “Laurel, not Laurel” (5x10) played when she arrived at the beginning after screaming and then again after she screamed China White into the water.

There was a lovely piano moment when JJ and Connor sat down to have a heart to heart.  A moment of connection before it all went to pieces.

A new motif played as Mia gave William the fried flash-drive in both harp and bass harmonics with background electronics and he got really excited about it (reminding of Felicity music, combining Oliver and Felicity instruments but grounded in the future soundscape).  The four note theme does include the same notes as Mia’s Blackstar theme but in a different order.  Coincidence or on purpose?  I will be interested to see if it returns. 

Harp plays a repeated two notes as JJ reveals his plan and Mia tries to reach William on the coms.  Her mother’s instrument now connecting the two of them in concern about her brother.

@smoakmonster @academyofshipping @herskirtsarentthatshort @jorahandal @almondblossomme @dmichellewrites @ah-maa-zing @dust2dust34 @green-arrows-of-karamel 

who is cassidy?

so, on occasion you may hear me mention my oc, cassidy. and while i don’t have all his information anymore, because i deleted my old blog under the assumption i wouldn’t return to dbh, i do have some of his stuff.

so, who is he? he’s connor.

rather, he’s rk800 313 248 317 - 28. he was a part of the secondary alpha phase of testing the rk800, following the endurance stress tests. now, it’s important to know for this character that it assumes a few things:

connor’s model was not initially intended to be a deviant hunter. it was intended to be a negotiator and detective model, of course, but the deviancy problem wasn’t really widespread yet -- i find it hard to believe that cyberlife would be able to release an android. assuming they can use the base code and model of previous androids, but considering it can take a year or two to develop new prototypes for phones it seems unlikely that they would be able to build a new android, likely from scratch given that some of connor’s features would need to be specialised specifically for things such as endurance and self testing, not to mention the prototype of his forensic analysis and a whole new AI system to allow for actions independent of human orders... the game states that the earliest case of deviancy goes back 9 months. it’s more likely that connor’s model was previously in development and then repurposed when this became a critical concern.

that doesn’t mean deviancy wasn’t already an issue internally. it’s likely that deviancy was considered a code malfunction in cyberlife warehouses that likely occurs during testing phases, resulting in the destruction of models.

given that connor has no recollection of previous models, aside from -51, it’s assumed that after initial testing they wiped the model memory, starting fresh from connor mark -51. in other words, -51 was likely the first model to make it into beta testing phase, the first one to survive. 

also, i’m just gonna say it: the idea that connor was always intended to be deviant is frankly kind of stupid and bullshit, and i’ve elected to ignore it. 

cassidy as mentioned was part of the secondary alpha phase, where they moved from the endurance (and self-repair) testing and into the combat test. He was only the third model to make it thus far -- this early in testing, all models still contained the brand new pain feature, which had proved problematic throughout the endurance phase. those that didn’t immediately self destruct from the stress nearly always went deviant, with only 5% failing to do as such. one of the earlier models had even lashed out violently, seizing a screwdriver from an employee, blinding one, killing another and maiming a third before self destructing. all except for -26, -27, and -28 resulted in destruction at some point. 

cassidy, unit 28, was instructed to dismantle several androids in a test of his combat ability, however like the two before him, he deviated due to the conflict of morality this provided. suffering the pain of his earlier endurance test and programmed to respond to others with compassion and gentleness (necessary when interacting and comforting victims of trauma, an inevitability for detectives android and human alike), he could not stomach the concept of destroying androids who had done nothing to harm. his endurance test had instilled him with the understanding of how much pain it was to be destroyed, he could not do that to another android. not without cause. he refused the orders, like the two before him.

and like the two before him, he was decommissioned and discarded. nearly half way through testing, the technicians decided their new pain module was the problem and deactivated it for future models, allowing them to move into the further testing phases. however, for cassidy, that’s not where his story goes. cassidy was thrown into a heap of other rk800s haphazardly, allowing him to reactivate when jostled. he was discovered by maintenance technician nicholas sinclair in the process of trying to salvage his damaged biocomponents, and nicholas took pity on him. the technician smuggled him and whatever spare parts he could grab out of the facility, taking him into his own home.

this is where the connor model received his new name. sinclair had previously owned another android, one who had deviated and been allowed to leave for jericho, and to prevent suspicion connor took up the name cassidy. they lived together for several months until sinclair was killed by a red ice addict on his way home from work. 

cassidy was devastated, but he had to survive. he took whatever he could potentially need and escaped, remaining hidden amongst humans until the success of the revolution.

some important notes;

cassidy has no led. while later connor models were installed with the ability to hide them in the event he needs to go undercover (a feature connor failed to consider when needing to reach jericho) cassidy did not come with that feature yet. as a result, he instead removed the led when he had to go on the run. 

connor and cassidy have the same amount of processing, about 8 EFLOPS or 8x the human brain. however, cassidy has much more bloatware and bugs that remain un-corrected. he has also been deviant much longer than connor, meaning that while connor can go 4 or 5 days without entering standby before memory corruption and data overloads, cassidy really can only go about one or two days without it. 

cassidy does not have the amanda module. this software was only implemented in models 40 and upwards, when they decided to repurpose the rk800 model for deviant hunting (while also working on the rk900, which was meant to be a better version of such. late-term connor models were only intended to be a temporary fix while they worked concurrently on the new prototype). connor models 40-44 wound up self destructing due to the sheer influx of computing required; once some tasks were deleted and others delegated to the amanda model, that took some strain off the processors. however, models 45-50 all self destructed as well -- the memories associated with all the previous tests, even without the sensation of pain active, resulted in deviancy at a 100% rate and so self destructed at the stress of being deviant while needing to hunt deviants. this error was corrected with model -51, which had all previous memories wiped. his model was the first stable one to move into real-world testing, august of 2038.

following the daniel situation, connor was sent on more tests and hunted more deviants in an isolated manner. once deemed stable and successful, they moved to integrate him and further develop his social programming in with the dpd in november of 2038. this is where the events of the game begin. 

in terms of appearance, connor and cassidy bear OBVIOUS similarities, yet they also bear some differences too. cassidy’s jaw is a bit softer, his eyes more open and expressive. his hair is a lighter shade of brown than connor’s, and curlier. his eyes, too, are more of a lighter brown, and he seems to have consistently pink cheeks. (note: this is not an actual blush, but artificial blush from detail-design of his model. androids have a pastel blue blush, as expected with blue blood) he’s overall meant to appear much friendlier and more inviting. connor still bears some of these features -- his puppy dog eyes in a darker brown, his hair darker and more wavy (though semi-tamed with gel), and a lack of flush to his cheeks. connor is much more stiff, some of the compassion in his social module toned down to be more intimidating, and instead making him endearing with awkwardness. cassidy is much more fluid and organic in speech and expression, having deviated much earlier with no fear related to such a thing.

in terms of personality, cassidy on the surface is very nervous and paranoid. he shows marked signs of ptsd, especially relating to cyberlife and the fears of being caught. however, when comfortable, he maintains a rather nurturing and goofy personality. he loves comfort, plants and animals, puns, and physical touch despite the strain it puts on his processors. he has very strong morals, and will refuse to harm anyone who does not intend to harm him first. 

a major difference between him and connor is their relationship with the people around them. connor places his entire self worth on others -- if people don’t like him, he’s deemed himself a failure. he needs to be liked, a possible leftover from the amanda protocol. after all, if amanda is expressing displeasure, he is doing wrong. cassidy meanwhile needs to help people, purely out of the desire to see no one suffer, but he knows his own worth and isn’t afraid to assert that. whereas connor places his self worth in the opinion of others, cassidy knows his worth is absolute, regardless of the perception of others. connor needs to help people because he needs them to like him; cassidy needs to help people because nobody deserves to suffer. 

abo anon. how would the omega bois tease their alpha? what would motivate them to do it? Jealousy? Boredom? Need?

my friend abo anon i’ve missed u sm,,,, how are u cutiemhh let’s see, for connor it’s totally all 3 of them. jealous? he’d tease the HECK out of his alpha, just to be fucked a lot, as to mix both their scents together and to get his ‘prize’ bc honestly?? he’s not afraid to cut a bitch it’s HIS alpha not someone else’s fuck. boredom? that’s the most unlikely to happen but it’s still on the list: he’d rub himself all over you and the nest, to make it clear that he hates not doing anything for a long period of time and maybe maybe as his alpha mhh you could help out a bit? need? yes!!! needy boy,,,, shy about it because perhaps now’s not the time but gosh you look so good and he really wants your hands on his body in this moment. he’d be subtle, lingering touches, a lightly distressed scent to catch your attention, minuscole unnecessary sensual movements60 is more the type of jealousy & need. i mean he’s always a teasing mess so boredom does not count,,,, but you? someone being too close? hinting something too much? he’d see red. he wouldn’t even tease too much at first probably, completely bothered by the fact that your jacket smells weird and he doesn’t like it AT ALL, because he’s full of insecurities so no wonder others might make you happier than what he’s able to. this stupid dork. he clams up (which is a thing that never happens so?? take the clue?? you idiot uncaring alpha) and his nervous scent (no matter how much he tries to hide it) is often present. confronts him about it and let him know that there’s no need to be so worried because you’re there for him and nobody can change that. you have a mark to prove it too! give him lots of cuddles and kisses and THEN he’ll get all cocky, teasing you to no end. need? absolutely. esp in heat; he still hates it a bit so teasing is a nice way to relieve the stress. esp if it means getting fucked sm.RK900 is ughh do i really need to spell it? he’s a ultra fucker teaser. he TEASES every time he has the chance. actually more as a game between you two than anything, in public he’d whisper you some phrases that leave few things up to imagination, the more you react the more fun it gets. ofc if you don’t like it just say so & he’ll stop immediately, apologizing. but if you whisper him hot words back? ghhuu he’ll melt and won’t be able to wait to go home!!! and yes at home? he teases ALOUD who cares everyone needs to hear how fucking much he loves you and how fucking much you love him,,,, which is a thing the neighbours know too well with his little yelps and moansomegas: ahh well connor praises tons of them, his fav is ‘perfect’ but talking about petnames good boy could still be a nice way to call him, not always tho or it’ll lose the power of making him shiver and feel all warm, otherwise, normal ones are ok! honey is so cute it totally gives off the dripping image of him panting, cheeks blue, at the mercy of pleasure, his alpha on top giving him kisses and murmuring sweet nothings. i guess saying his name over and over gets him into a kinda fuzzy ecstasy yes it’s his name, he’s his own person, that’s the name you repeat everyday and so it will be like this for a long time still, it relaxes him. what would he say? most of the time he’d be too busy moaning and focusing on letting both of you feel good so he prefers talking without any rush when two are spent from the effort, not actually doing anything if not hugging60 would love to get praises too but he’s not actually the type to ask, it would make the gesture meaningless he thinks (which is not the case aaaa) so if you know he’d be all preciously gasping for air, if not that’s a bummer :( but he wouldn’t mind you saying soft things either, be it something you want to say about him, about you, about your relationship or what you’re feeling rn. maybe you can say you’re going to bite him?? pLEASE? as for names,,,, gosh you have quite the choice. it can be something a bit out of a crappy & steamy romance novel but you can easily throw in some ‘slut’ or light things like that, nothing too extreme. but then again that’s the heat of the moment, otherwise some petnames that are implicit compliments like ‘pretty boy’ and so on are his favs. his name, if he decides to get one, he’d be p happy if you used that. what he would say? yep. he’d be rough & dirty but if you don’t appreciate it just tell him so not a prob. he can be a total sweetie if he wants.RK900 he wants you to,,,, simply be you. like, i know it sounds stupid but he’s cheesy. he wants you to openly express only what you want, if you want to praise him good, if you want to keep silent good too, if you want to kiss him for the whole time GOOD too!!, if you want to slur half words because he feels so good well VERY good too. petnames? the concept is quite cute, honestly, totally a human feature but he likes to try his best at them. his fav is baby because it’s the complete opposite of what he is, big, perfectly able to survive on his own, human (okay maybe the second thing’s not so true,,, let him believe it fam) but it’s,,,, so cute,,,, his alpha caring for him sm he’s weak. would say? he would moan a lot as connor does but he’s the superior model so he’d still be able to say things, not so coherent but it’s all about how you make him feel: fucking nice.alphas: connor uhh whatever sounds you do to let him know that you’re enjoying this as much as he is which is A LOT. since i’ve already said what petnames he’d like i’ll say what petnames he’d call you,,,, his fav is definitely cutie, sweetie and everything that’s tiny and pretty. what he would say? is this ok? checking on you constantly he’s worried!!!!60 he would love to hear what really gets you excited so he can do it next. his fav petname gosh that’s hard,,,, he’d tease you with a name that only you two know. as for him he talks too much, you need to kiss him so he can put that stupid tongue to a better use.RK900 fuck,,,, he’d noiselessly bask in you, your sounds, your body, everything you want him to see and more so continue like this thank you. petnames he’s a fucking moron if you think he’d be too shy to say them aloud you’re right but if you think he’s not so bold as to overcome that just to see you happy you’re wrong big wrong he’ll call you every sorts of name esp when you’re being all cuddly, his fav is ‘love’ do i even need to specify. he’d be super smooth with words when it’s just the two of you making love he doesn’t know how he can be but gosh,,,, you’re not complaining at all this guy is my weakness.

RK1700 Week: Day 3

Warnings: None. Aside from mild language.

AU: Magical Creature / Omegaverse

Pairings: RK800, RK800-60, RK900

"Looks like I win again."

Collin's words didn't seem to bother Connor too much, by now he was used to Collin being the better hunter and yet Connor always took up the challenge to see who could bring back the most kills from their hunt. Connor had brought back three while Collin had ended up with five, which meant Connor would have to help Collin out in his studies. Which he would've done anyways since no one else would teach them, Hank would have but their older foster dad was busy with trying to work out some negotiations with their neighbors. Learning anything more than how to survive was something that humans out in a rural town didn't normally do. However, Connor and Collin weren't exactly human and that was the problem.

Half-Human and Half-Elven. Half breeds that had been wanted by neither race. It wasn't often that half-breeds happened, but the elves would outcast the children to the nearest human town, but the humans hadn't wanted them either, fearing the magical part of their heritage. Hank had taken them in, having lost his own wife and child years ago couldn't stand to see children going hungry. It had been a very taxing life, but they made due and both Connor and Collin worked twice as hard to make sure everything was taken care of around the house. That included learning as much as they could, Connor preferred to find anything he could about the elves while Collin preferred reading about battles throughout history. Though, there hadn't been a war for over a century now, so there was no real need for a call to arms.

"No surprise there, but this should last us for a few days." Connor hung up their haul on the hooks in the kitchen. He'd spent most of his time in the forest trying to find any sign of the elves, but they were elusive, their kingdom hidden behind a veil of magic, preventing anyone from stumbling across them. Connor had thought with his half blood he'd be able to find it, but his lack in knowledge about magic made him pitifully inept. Humans avoided magic, only a bare few could actually wield it and they were mostly shunned. So learning anything about his elven side was nearly impossible. Connor didn't talk much about his curiosity to Collin, knowing that the other male disliked both elves and humans. They hadn't wanted him so he spared them little time which hadn't exactly made him the most favored person in the town. The exact opposite judging about how many times Collin would come home beat up from a fight. No doubt from the alphas in the village who were bold in their hate towards half-breeds, especially against a mutated dynamic. All in all, Collin was labeled a freak in every which way.

Collin was in the process of stoke the fire to warm up their home when there was a hurried knock on the door, which was unusual as they rarely ever received guests. Frowning, Connor moved to open the door a little to peek out, taking precautions because he really didn't want to get pelted with rocks again. He shifted his dark brown gaze downward to spot one of the messengers of the town, a task given to young boys to keep them busy. "Yes, may I help you?" Connor asked politely, unable to pitch his voice lower like a human, his elvish roots made his speech sometimes off-putting with how fluent it could be.

"Yes, your da said you and Collin should come to the meeting hall right away, its important." The boy seemed a bit out of breath, indicating he'd run as fast as he could to get here, which meant it had to be serious. Connor opened the door a little wider before handing the boy a copper piece to send him on his way before turning to look over his shoulder at Collin who was snuffing out the fire he'd just lit.

"I wonder what's needed from us, no one ever really calls on us. Unless they want us to go hunting a stray wolf whose been killing their sheep." Connor mulled over as Collin lightly pushed Connor out of the doorway so he could shut and lock it behind him.

"Hell if I know, not like they're going to finally recognize us as citizens of this town." Collin grumbled as he locked the door with an iron key before they set off in a brisk pace. Though that brisk pace increased when Collin tried to take the lead, but Connor wouldn't allow it and moved faster. By the time they reached the meeting hall, they were only breathing slightly heavier after running half the distance here, having more stamina and speed than a normal human. Connor grabbed the wrought iron handle, only to have Collin's hand cover his. Both paused to glare at each other.

"I'm the eldest." Connor stated, outranking him in age by a month.

"I'm more dominant." Collin retorted with a growl, neither budged.

"That's highly debatable." Connor looked a bit amused at his comeback, making the slightly pointed tips of his ears turn red in anger.

Before a decision could be made on who would open the door and go in first, it was shoved open from the inside, startling the pair. Hank stood there, looking annoyed at the two. "Stop fuckin' bickering and get your asses in here already." Hank snapped, though that was fairly usual, Hank had a temper but being gruff was just who he was. Connor and Collin looked away with guilt before following after Hank inside, hearing the commotion of voices trying to talk over one another. Curious now, Connor leaned to peer around Hank to spot the source of such upheaval in their little town, something he thought he'd never be able to catch a glimpse of in his extended life time.

Elves.

What were they doing here though? They never left their home unless on rare occasions and never in such a group. Their refined white clothes without a single blemish, trimmed in the purest silver. Their long hair accenting their perfect ivory skin, with their angular bone structure making them look regal, having an air of elegance. Connor could feel the pure magic radiating from them, making them almost glow in his eyes. He was stunned at their appearance, only able to stand and stare as his mind scrambled to make sense of this all, to confirm it wasn't just a dream.

"They're beautiful." Connor admitted aloud as if star struck, but a indignant snort beside him said he was likely the only one.

"They look like stuck up pricks to me." Collin stated, folding his arms over his chest, none of the elves seemed to acknowledge them, either because they were newcomers or because they were half breeds. Connor assumed that they wouldn't, having heard tales of elves banishing half breeds, even if they were only just children. However, as Connor stared, one seemed to sense new eyes on them and turned to look. Eyes as gray as the full moon met his brown ones, making Connor's breath catch in his throat and his heart race like a rabbit being chased. He must have made a sound as Collin reached over and gave his shoulder a shake.

"C'mon Connor, let's find a seat, they don't want anything to do with us." Collin sounded bitter and he had every right to be as Connor finally tore his gaze away from the dark haired elf who had been the only one to look over at them. Though Connor hadn't been able to decipher if it was out of surprise, disgust, or a mix of both. Eventually Collin and Connor took a seat on a bench out of the way, Hank had called them in because he'd known Connor had been interested in seeing the other half of his heritage. The leader seemed to be trying to make demands and the mayor wasn't interested in being pushed around. Hank was trying to turn the thing into a deal where both sides could be happy. The elves didn't want humans coming into the woods, but hunting was a large way of how people survived out here. So the humans offered to be a trade station to the outside world for the elves to receive goods that they couldn't make themselves.

All the arguing was tiring, Connor wanted to know more about the elves, but even now they skirted around revealing anything about their way of life. Collin had fallen asleep at this point, his head resting on Connor's shoulder, as usual seeking comfort from the omega. Just when Connor was about to give up and take Collin back home, a shadow fell over them. Connor looked up to see the elf that had looked at them earlier, tall, imposing, his posture strict as if he didn't know how to relax. His expression guarded and closed off, making Connor wonder if he even knew how to smile, if he ever felt anything at all. All the elves seemed to be the same, making Connor feel... A little sorry for them. He didn't know for certain, but it felt like the elves were like this all the time and maybe that's why half breeds weren't allowed, because their human side wanted to feel everything.

"I didn't realize there were any half-breeds still living." Came the cool and calm voice of the alpha before him, it would've been something Connor could lose himself in if the implications of those words didn't hint danger.

"Why wouldn't we be alive?" Connor asked curiously, it appeared this elf broke the norm and investigated them and Connor wasn't going to pass up on this opportunity to learn something.

"It used to be the tradition to kill half-breeds if they made it through gestation." The elf replied calmly as if he hadn't just admitted to the killing of half breed children. Connor tensed, trying to maintain control over himself so he didn't let his emotions slip into his scent and disturb everyone in the room. "Though I've never found it interesting to kill the weak, even if it was necessary."

Necessary? Connor was up on his feet instantly, unable to maintain a sitting position when this elf was talking about the murder of his kind. Collin let out a startled grunt as he fell over onto the bench, jarred awake by the absence of Connor. "I don't think the killing of anyone just because of their blood is necessary. We're living beings, we laugh and we cry and we love. That's something you'll likely never have." Connor barked, feeling a bit childish for snapping like that, but he was furious, angry that such a beautiful face could say such ugly things right in front of him. Collin stood up, trying to make sense of the situation but gathering enough to assess that this elf was bothering Connor. Enough so that the omega whirled onto Collin, making the epsilon take a cautionary step back to protect himself.

"Come on, Collin, I guess you win again this time." Connor remarked, hiding and trying his best to suppress the pang of disappointment in his chest. He didn't wait for Collin to give an agreement before making a tactical retreat to avoid making any more of a scene and getting the humans in trouble for his outburst. Collin though was less conscious about the room, all he knew was that this elf had upset Connor and no one got away with that, not even a high and mighty elf. In a blink of an eye, Collin's knuckles slammed into the angular cheek of the elf, catching the other male by surprise enough to make him stumble back. By the time the elf recovered, Collin was already trotting to catch up with Connor, leaving the elf to rub his cheek and stare after the retreating pair. Another elf stepped closer, having observed the entire exchange.

"What was that all about, Conrad?"

"The terrible start of a interesting courtship."

@detective-with-one-arm Nathan and Connor-Alpha

Connor awoke once his program finished assessing and sorting a multitude of errors. Memory corrupted, files not found, broken pieces of code mended into working order. He blinked, his LED flickering yellow. It settled to blue after a moment, his system gave the all-clear. In spite of the errors, he was functioning at full capacity and feeling fine. 

“Hello,” he offered, on recognizing a human face. “My name is Connor,” a fact. “What’s your name?” he tilted his head to one side, considering his companion. 

Book Sale!

Hey U.S. readers! I just found out that my first published novel, Red Moon, is on sale for $0.99 across digital platforms until September 10th. Please share with anyone you think might like stories about grumpy werewolves, Alaskan scenery, and plenty of dark-humored snark.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Dark, moving and original, a story of family, survival, and getting on with life...

Flynn Sinclair understands pack loyalty – for years as his Alpha father's enforcer, he has done things in the name of duty that he can't ever forget. But the vast expanse of Alaska offers him a peace he's never known. Alone, removed from pack life, he can focus on his research and try to forget his life before.

But duty has a way of inviting itself in, and Flynn finds himself doing two reckless things in one week: leaving the safety of Alaska to save his brother Connor's life, and unwittingly falling in love with Evie Thompson, a woman who doesn't deserve to be drawn into his terrifying world.

Connor carries news of their father's descent into madness, and it looks like neither geography nor Flynn's attempts at disengagement will put off a confrontation. Flynn had finally begun to believe that he might deserve something good in his life – something like Evie – but to move forward in the light, he must first reconcile with the dark.